Washington County Court Records

Washington County court records provide a detailed account of civil, criminal, family, and probate proceedings handled by the local circuit and county courts. They contain the same elements as other Florida court records, which include the following:

• Case numbers and names of involved parties
• Dates of filings and court events
• Filed charges, claims, and petitions
• Court motions, orders, and rulings
• Final judgments, verdicts, and sentencing details
• Filed evidence, witness lists, and discovery information
• Court transcripts and recordings

These notations, entries, and documents are generally ordered and reviewed when verifying legal actions, conducting background checks, supporting appeals or future litigations, and researching legal precedents.

Are Court Records Public in Washington County?

Yes. Court documents and other entries are considered Washington County court records, according to provisions in the Florida Sunshine Law. The law instructs court officials to provide access to requesting members of the public. However, certain records are protected from public access under various state laws, federal regulations, and court rules, such as Fla. R. Gen. Prac. & Jud. Admin 2.420(c) and FS 119.071. Examples of these restricted records include Washington arrest records sealed by court order, unexecuted search warrants, certain juvenile court records, social security numbers, some family law proceedings (like child support and adoption), and sensitive financial records.

Washington County Court Records Search

A Washington court records search typically involves approaching the County Clerk's office. The clerk is the records custodian for the local and circuit courts. The office allows individuals to use a range of online and physical records request and viewing options. However, it is important to know which court handled the specific case that produced the record.

Washington County Courts

Washington County falls under Florida's 14th Judicial Circuit. One can contact or visit the County and Circuit Courts using these address details:

1293 Jackson Avenue
Chipley, Florida 32428
Phone: (850) 638-6008 (Civil), (850) 638-6289 (Felony, Misdemeanors, Foreclosures, and Juvenile), (850) 638-6009 (Family)

Washington County Criminal and Civil Records

Members of the public can approach the County Clerk to obtain Washington criminal records and civil case filings generated in the local circuit and county courts. The office's online court records search system (accessible through its records search webpage) allows the public to view the following case details:

• Party names
• Case numbers
• Case descriptions
• Filed dates
• Case status
• Case type
• Charges
• Sentences
• Judgment
• Case events
• Filed documents (not all documents are available for viewing)

Individuals can also use the following details to contact the office by mail, in person, by email, or by telephone regarding viewing or ordering physical copies of case documents:

1293 Jackson Avenue
Post Office Box 647
Chipley, FL 32428
Phone: (850) 638-6289
Fax: (850) 638-6288

Be that as it may, it is crucial to identify the type of case that produced the record they want to view and the presiding court.

Civil records are created during disputes between two parties where financial damages, injunctions, and other types of relief are sought by plaintiffs. Examples are personal injury matters, landlord-tenant disputes, defamation lawsuits, probate proceedings, and family law cases. Parties in civil cases could be individuals or organizations.

The circuit Court exclusively handles divorce, probate, and guardianship matters. It also has original jurisdiction over civil cases that exceed $50,000. On the other hand, the County Court adjudicates landlord-tenant disputes, small claims matters not exceeding $8,000, and civil cases where the amount involved is not above $50,000.

On the other hand, Washington County criminal records are created when individuals are accused and/or charged to court for committing crimes. The Circuit Court presides over felony cases, which are serious offenses that attract high prison sentences. The County Court's jurisdiction is limited to misdemeanors (offenses punishable by up to one year in prison), traffic offenses, and non-criminal violations (crimes punishable by forfeitures, fines, and civil penalties).

Further, individuals can go through local law enforcement agencies to obtain other criminal information, such as Washington County arrest records. Some of these records are not available in court filings, especially when arrested people go free without appearing before judges or prosecutors change arrest offenses before filing charges.

Washington County Marriage Records

Washington County marriage records are the licenses and certificates issued by the Marriage License Department of the Clerk's Office and Florida department of health. The license is a legal approval of wedding ceremonies. However, certified copies of these documents are required for certain procedures, such as name changes and spousal benefits, where proof of marriage is compulsory.

Individuals can contact the County Clerk's office for information about obtaining these documents. One can also use the online, mail-in, or walk-in method provided by the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics to order a Washington County marriage certificate.

Washington County Divorce Records

Divorce records contain details of court proceedings that legally end people's marital unions. These cases are handled by the circuit court, and individuals can contact the county clerk's marriage division to obtain certified copies of divorce case filings, including judgments.

The Bureau of Vital Statistics provides divorce certificates. However, these documents only contain certain divorce summaries and not the full judgements or case files.

Washington County Birth Records

Finding Washington County birth records involves using request methods accepted by the Florida Department of Health in Washington County. Individuals can fill out the birth certificate application form and submit it by mail or in person to the following address:

Florida Department of Health Washington County
P.O. Box 648
1338 South Boulevard
Chipley, FL 32428
Phone: (850) 638-6240
Fax: (850) 638-6244

It should be noted that if a Washington County birth certificate is not older than 125 years, only the following persons will be eligible to obtain it:

• Persons named on the certificate (child and parents), who are older than 18
• Legal guardian (guardianship documents required)
• Legal representatives of eligible parties
• Entities with valid court orders

Birth certificates are documents classified as Washington County vital records. One may need this paperwork to prove their age, parenthood, or relationship with certain individuals. Birth certificates can be presented during probate proceedings, insurance policy claims, passport application procedures, and school enrollment, among others.

Washington County Death Records

A Washington County death record is used to document and verify people's passing. It contains the deceased person's name, date of birth, social security number, and cause of death. Anyone can obtain a death certificate containing partial social security numbers and without cause of death information. However, only the following parties can apply for certificates less than 50 years old containing cause of death and full social security numbers:

• Decedent's children, spouse, sibling, parent, and grandchild 18 or older
• People with interest in the decedent's estate (must provide documents such as wills and insurance policies)
• Legal representatives of any of the above parties
• Entities with court orders

Individuals can go through the Washington County branch of the Florida Department of Health to obtain a death certificate.

Washington County Probate Court Records

Probate cases are handled by the Circuit Court. These cases include guardianships, trusts, wills, and administration of deceased people's estates. These records can be obtained using the county clerk's request and viewing methods, as explained earlier.

Washington County Property Records

Property documents like deeds, conveyances, and plats can be obtained through the County Clerk's office. The county's Tax Collector can also be contacted for property tax-related records.

Washington County Court Records Online

Third-party websites like Floridacourtrecords.us offer alternative methods for accessing Washington County public records. Independent vendors run these platforms and offer records from multiple agencies through a single database. This option allows users to find the sources of documents without navigating different government websites. However, interested parties should note that third-party vendors are not official sources and cannot authenticate the records they display.